Ice cube tray



N. SZAFIR ICE CUBE T Filed Feb. 25, 1933 Patented Aug. 28, 1934 ICE CUBETRAY Norman Ssaflr, Beaumont, Tex. Application February 25, 1933, SerialNo. 658,616

2Claims.

This invention relates to trays for freezing ice cubes in mechanicalrefrigerators. It has for its object the provision of a tray in whichthe cube cells are in the form of individual cups, whereby intersectingvalleys are formed on the underside of the tray affording a multiplicityof heat interchanging surfaces by means of which the freezing of thecubes is accelerated, and providing means for bringing a body of waterinto intimate contact with the bottom and sides of the cube cellswhereby the cubes are quickly thawed to facilitate their removal.

Another object of the invention is the provi-- sion of a peripheral wallsurrounding the tray and extending downward from the upper face thereof,forming when the tray is inverted, a. receptacle from the base of whichthe inverted cube cells arise, for retaining a. body of water pouredthereinto for-the purpose of thawing the cubes. A further object of theinvention is to construct the individual cube cells near the plane ofthe upper part of the tray, integrally or unitarily by a web foldedre-entrantly to provide for thermal expansion and contraction of thetray, and having provisions for preventing the freezing of water in thechannels thus formed in the web.

Qther objects of the invention will appear as the following'descriptionof a preferred and practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawing which accompanies and form a part of the followingspecification, and throughout the several figures of which the samecharacters of reference have been employed to designate identical parts:

Figure l is a plan view of a cube tray embracing the features of thepresent invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinalsection through the tray. part thereof beingbroken away;

Figure 3 is a cross section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the tray inverted.

Referring now in detail to the several figures, the numeral 1 representsin general the tray which comprises a top wall or web 2 with dependingside and end flanges 3 and .4 and with a plurality of cube cells 5pressed or stamped down therefrom. The cube trays may be separatelyconstructed if desired, and timed to the top wall or web 2 in anysuitable manner.

Figures 2 and 4 show that between the individual cube'trays intersectingvalleys Bare formed. It is obvious that the four sides 'of the-bottom ofeach of the cube cells is presented to' the'refrigerative atmosphere inthe tray compartment of the refrigerator and thus a much faster freezingof the cubes is possible than in the usual construction in which thebottom only of the tray comes into direct heat exchanging relationshipwith the cold air. g

I It is also obvious that when the tray is inverted, it constitutes areceptacle having the side and end walls 3 and 4 and from the base ofwhich the individual cells arise so that when water is poured into thesaid receptacle for the purpose 65 of thawing the cubes, a body of thewater will be retained in the receptacle. In melting out the cubes, itisnecessary only to fill the receptacle with water and sit it in aconvenientplace for a moment or two until the cubes aresufliciently 7othawed. The side walls of the cube cells preferably flare slightlytoward the top, thus facilitating the sliding out of the cubes whenthawed.

It is preferred, for structural purposes, to make some provision forthermal expansion and contraction of the tray. This is done by foldingthe top wall or web re-entrantly as indicated at '1 in Figure 2, thussurrounding the perimeters of the cube cellswith intersecting channelsas shown at 7 in Figure 1. When the ice expands upon freezgo ing, Y ittenth to force the outer edges of the channels '7 together and thecontrary takes place when fresh water is placed in the cube cellspreparatory to freezing; The slight movement thus permitted preventsstrain and eventual s5 7,

cracking of the metal inthe neighborhood of the upper ends of the tubecells. The value of the expansion spaces as constituted by the channels7 would be entirely lost if these channels become filled with water whenthe cube tray is filled, for the water when frozen would act as anincompressible body and prevent the movement of the'side walls of thechannels 7 under expansion and contraction of the tray, as aboverelated. In order to prevent'the accumulation 5 of water in saidchannels, they are formed with drainage apertures 8 so that any waterspilling into said channels when the cube trays are being filled drainsout before freezing takes place.

It is obvious that 'I have produced an invention 'of great utility andefliciency in the art which it relates, and it is to be understood thatthe structural details herein shown and described are merely by way ofexample and not to be construed as limiting the scope of the inventionas claimed.

What I claim is:

1. Ice cube tray comprising a plurality of individual cube cells withtheir side and bottom walls spaced apart, and means for uniting saidcube m spaced apart, and means for uniting said cube cells near the topcomprising a web re-entrantly folded forming channels surrounding theperimeters of the mouths of the cube cells, and of such depth that thelower portions of the walls of said channels are out of contact with thesides of said cube cells whereby free flexion of said walls is possibleunder expansion and contraction of said tray.

NORMAN SZAFIR.

